Arsenal: The Forgotten Gooner Who Only Adds To Squad Depth

Carl Jenkinson is back in training and has been forgotten by many fans and analysts alike. He provides Arsenal with yet more essential squad depth.

The crux of the sustained and ultimately successful title challenge is dealing with injuries. Every club struggles with them – Arsenal seemingly more than most – and every winner must deal with them. There are two ways to do so. Either get lucky (see Leicester City last year) or have a squad big and strong enough to deal with the inevitable onslaught of absentees (see Manchester City 2014).

Seeing as Arsenal are perennially injured with the majority of their players best mates with the team doctor, the former is not an option. That means that manager Arsene Wenger must assemble a squad capable of handling the ordeals of fitness concerns that a likely 50+ game season brings.

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The type of players that are needed are dependable, consistent and solid if not spectacular. Too good and they can become problems, disrupting the harmony of the dressing room, not good enough, and they can be a liability when actually on the pitch. One such example who treads the line wonderfully is Carl Jenkinson, who, when asked about his recent return to football after a lingering knee injury suffered last season, just seemed happy to be back playing:

"The recovery is going well, it’s just lovely to be back out there playing and training,” Jenkinson told Arsenal Player. “It’s fantastic to be doing that again after so long out. You have good days and bad days because obviously you’re still adapting after such a long time. It is a humbling experience being injured for such a long period of time. Matchdays I miss a lot. I have missed them a lot because it’s a sort of buzz and excitement that you can’t replicate in anything else in life really.”"

Jenkinson had enjoyed two relatively successful loan deals at West Ham United before surrendering to the knife thanks to damaging his cruciate ligament and was beginning to develop into the player that Wenger had first hoped when signed in a £1 million deal from Charlton; his progress had been significantly stented thanks to the scars caused by the 8-2 hammering at the hands of a ruthlessly brilliant Manchester United.

Now back in training, and hopefully soon, back available for matches, Jenkinson will most likely resume the role as Hector Bellerin’s deputy, similar to Kieran Gibbs on the opposite flank. His utility is only added to by his versatility. Jenkinson has the size to play centre-half and the speed to play full-back. Not many players can offer that much in a backup role.

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There is a threat that the now 24-year-old will be sent out on loan once more, but I feel it would be far more beneficial for Arsenal to keep hold of him. He is a more than capable substitute for Bellerin if injuries do come his way – certainly more so than Mathieu Debuchy who is somehow still with the club – and only adds to what is already an established and accomplished squad.

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